World Briefing / Colombia

Spy agency official quits after wiretap scandal

A top Colombian intelligence official resigned after a scandal erupted over accusations that rogue security agents on the payroll of drug lords had illegally wiretapped politicians, judges and journalists.

The telephone bugging charges are the latest scandal to rock the state security agency, known as DAS, and will further stain President Alvaro Uribe's campaign to stamp out corruption in state law enforcement in the world's top cocaine supplier.